Remorseless Cleveland Kidnapper Tries To Justify Monstrous Crimes, Sentenced To Life Without Parole

Ariel Castro stood in court Thursday during his sentencing
hearing and insisted that he's not a violent predator and that
the sex his three victims were subjected to over the course of
their decade-long imprisonment was consensual.

Castro was sentenced to life in prison without parole. The judge
added 1,000 years on top of the life sentence for other specific
counts attached to Castro's abuse. Castro pleaded
guilty to the 937 counts against him, but maintains that he's
not a violent person.

Castro blamed the kidnapping on his sex addiction and compared it
to alcoholism. Castro claims that he had no control over his
addiction and said that he's not a monster.

In response to Castro's claim that there "was harmony in the
house" where Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight
were kept, the judge said: "I'm not sure there's
anybody else in America who would agree with you."

The judge also said that Castro is an extreme narcissist. He was
full of justifications for his actions, including rape,
kidnapping, and domestic abuse. He showed no remorse for the
abuse.

Below is a sampling of what Castro said in court:

"I've been a musician for a long time. To be a musician and
to be a monster, I don't think I can handle that. I'm a happy
person inside."

"I drove a school bus for 21 years. I did a very good job.
Towards the end I started slacking off, trying to get fired,
because I knew it was just too much. The job was too stressful
and coming home to my situation, I just couldn't juggle both of
them."

[In regard to his ex-wife] "I was never abusive until I met
her. ... They're saying I'm a wife beater, that's wrong. This
happened because I couldn't get her to quiet down. … She put her
hands on me, and that's how I reacted, by putting my hands on
her."

"I'm not a violent person. I drove a school bus, I was a
musician, I had a family. I do have value for human life because
every time I came home, I would be so glad for the situation."

"My daughter, she just made every day for me after she was
born. She never saw any violence going on in that house. … She'd
probably say 'My dad is the best dad in the world.'"

"I'm a normal person, I'm just sick. I have an addiction,
just like an alcoholic has an addiction. Alcoholics cannot
control their addiction."

"Most of the sex that went on in the house and probably all
of it was consensual. These allegations about being forceful on
them, it's totally wrong. There were times they would ask me for
sex."

"I did not prey on these women, I just acted on my sexual
instincts because of my addiction. ... God as my witness, I
never beat these women. I never tortured them."

"We had a lot of harmony going on in that home and if you've
seen the YouTube video of Amanda this weekend, that proves that
girl did not go through no torture. … If that was true, do you
think she would be out partying already and having fun? ... All
the victims are happy."

"Michelle, since day one, no one missed her. I never saw
fliers about her."

"I just hope that [the victims] find it in their hearts to
forgive me and to maybe do some research for people who have
addictions so they can see how that addiction takes over their
lives."

Castro also insisted that he's a good person and painted himself
as a victim of addiction and childhood sexual abuse. The judge
said he doesn't see possibility for rehabilitation.